Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has condemned the beheadings of seven members of an ethnic Shi'ite minority in the southeastern Zabul Province.

Ghani's office said on November 9 that he was "profoundly saddened" by the finding of the headless bodies of four men, two women, and one child in the Arghandab district -- which borders Pakistan -- on November 6.

All seven were members of the Hazara minority.

Zabul Governor Mohammad Anwar Ishaqzai has blamed the Islamic State group for the killings.

He said those killed had been kidnapped in the neighboring Ghazni Province in recent months.

Zabul has been the scene of clashes between rival Taliban factions in recent days that has killed at least 50 people.

Afghan officials have said hundreds of families loyal to IS began moving to Zabul earlier this year.

The Taliban also controls a number of districts in the eastern Nangarhar Province.